The future of a sequel to 2023’s blockbuster Barbie has been thrown into uncertainty as Warner Bros. and the film’s key creative team remain at odds over new contracts.
The stalled talks involve director and co-writer Greta Gerwig, co-writer Noah Baumbach, star and producer Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who played Ken. Warner Bros. has reportedly made more than 6 offers over the past 3 years, with the latest described by a studio source as the biggest offer the company has made to a filmmaking team and its stars.
The team has not accepted the latest proposal, with sources indicating that compensation remains a major sticking point, particularly back-end participation. The negotiations are being handled by CAA, which represents all 4 creatives, with agency chief Bryan Lourd leading the process. Gerwig’s lawyer Tara Kole is also involved.
The dispute comes at a crucial moment for Warner Bros. The studio has roughly 4 months to put a new Barbie film into active development before the rights to the iconic Mattel doll revert to the toymaker.
Gerwig and Baumbach are understood to have an idea for a sequel, but sources say they are unwilling to move forward before agreements are signed.
The original Barbie deals did not include obligations for a sequel. Those agreements were negotiated under a previous Warner regime, and Gerwig reportedly did not want to commit to another film at the time. The studio also had limited reason to anticipate the scale of the film’s eventual success.
That success changed everything. Directed by Gerwig, Barbie became the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros. history, earning more than $1.4 billion worldwide and turning its cast and creative team into some of Hollywood’s most sought-after names.
The new negotiations reportedly include higher upfront fees and increased back-end participation. Gosling is said to be seeking $20 million to reprise his Oscar-nominated role as Ken, while Robbie earned an estimated $50 million in salary and back-end compensation from the first film, with her final earnings expected to be higher.
Gerwig also earned tens of millions of dollars from the original film, making the financial expectations for a follow-up considerably higher.
Sources disagree over the precise terms of the latest offer, but the creative team is reportedly not seeking first-dollar gross, which would allow them to receive box-office payments before the studio recoups its investment.
The impasse has also created uncertainty for Mattel, whose fledgling film and television division scored an early success with Barbie. The company has a deal in place with Warner Bros. but needs the original creative team on board to continue the franchise in its current form.
The stakes extend beyond Hollywood. Barbie doll sales surged around the release of the film in 2023 but have since declined, while Mattel has announced plans to reposition the doll as a fashion icon with an expanded focus on clothing and accessories.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has faced criticism from some industry figures over the negotiations, particularly as the company navigates a potential acquisition by Paramount.
There could, however, be another path forward. If David Ellison succeeds in his bid for Warner Bros., one source suggested he could revive the Mattel rights and bring Gerwig and the rest of the creative team back into the fold.
Representatives for the filmmakers, stars, Warner Bros., Mattel and CAA declined to comment.
